http://www.ExpressH2B.comDelivered to your desktop: Latest H2B News and ArticlesThe U.S. Department of Labor released America’s Dynamic Workforce 2007, a new report highlighting major trends in the American labor market and the significance of education and skills training to maintaining the competitiveness of America’s workforce. http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/DOL-Report-State-of-US-Work-Force.aspMon, 03 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMTDespite a looming September 30, 2007, H-2B returning worker deadline, Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) today said she will not stop her fight to extend a crucial returning guest worker exemption from her Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act that protects small and seasonal businesses from a devastating cut to their workforce.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/Senator-Barbara-H2B-Returning-Worker-Extension.aspMon, 01 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMTThe U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for the first half of Fiscal Year 2008 (FY2008). USCIS has notified the public that September 27, 2007 is the “final receipt date” for new H-2B worker petitions requesting employment start dates prior to April 1, 2008.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/H2B-Cap-FY2008.aspTue, 02 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMTAs Chairwoman of the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee Senator Barbara A. Mikulski’s (D-Md.) successfully added language to the fiscal year 2008 CJS spending bill to extend a critical provision of her Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act that expired on September 30 and protects small and seasonal businesses – including Maryland’s seafood and cannery industries – from devastating cuts to their workforce. The bill passed the Senate tonight with a vote of 75-19.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/Mikulski-H2B-Miracle.aspTue, 16 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMTU.S. Representative Charles W. Boustany, Jr., MD, R-Southwest Louisiana, began a discharge petition to bring Rep. Bart Stupak’s Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act to the House floor for a vote.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/Small-Businesses-Solution.aspWed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) declared that it has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for the second half of Fiscal Year 2008 (FY2008). USCIS is hereby notifying the public that January 2, 2008 is the “final receipt date” for new H-2B worker petitions requesting employment start dates prior to October 1, 2008. The “final receipt date” is the date on which USCIS determines that it has received enough cap-subject petitions to reach the limit of 33,000 H-2B workers for the second half of FY2008.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/H2B-Cap-Tracker.aspThu, 03 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMTOn November 24, 2008 USCIS updated the count of H-2B visa petitions received and counted towards the H-2B cap on the USCIS website. As of November 21, 2008, 10,265 petitions have been counted towards the 33,000 cap for the second half of FY 2009.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/H2B-Cap-FY2009-Second-Half.aspTue, 25 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe U.S. Department of Labor has issued a final rule that enhances workers' protections and modernizes the application process under the H-2B temporary labor certification program. These changes and others finalized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security fulfill the administration's August 2007 pledge to review and update the foreign worker program regulations. The H-2B final rule will go into effect Jan. 18, 2009.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/DOL-Publishes-Final-H-2B-Rule.aspFri, 19 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe USCIS, on December 15, 2008, updated the count of H-2B petitions received and counted towards the H-2B cap for the second half of the Fiscal Year 2009. As of December 15, 2008, 18,367 H-2B petitions have been counted towards the H-2B cap of 33,000 for the second half of FY 2009.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/Latest-H2B-Count-Second-Half-of-FY2009.aspMon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe USCIS updated the count of H-2B visa petitions received and counted towards the H-2B cap for the second half of the fiscal year 2009. As of December 19, 2008, 27,111 visa petitions have been counted towards the 33,000 cap for the second half of FY 2009.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/The-Latest-H-2B-Count.aspTue, 23 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe USCIS updated the count of H2B petitions received and counted towards the H2B cap for the second half of the fiscal year 2009. As of December 29, 2008, 29,702 H2B Visa petitions have been counted towards the 33,000 cap for the second half of FY 2009. Out of the total 29, 702 H2B Visa Petitions, 15,764 beneficiaries have been approved while 13, 938 are pending.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/H2B-Cap-Count-Reach-Soon.aspMon, 29 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe USCIS recently updated the count of H-2B petitions received and counted towards the H2B cap for the second half of the fiscal year 2009. As of January 5, 2009, 36,319 H2B visa petitions have been counted towards the 33,000 cap for the second half of FY 2009. Out of the total 36,319 H2B visa petitions, 20,687 beneficiaries have been approved while 15,632 are pending.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/H2B-Cap-for-Second-Half-FY-to-Reach-Soon.aspWed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe USCIS, on December 3, 2008 has updated the count of H-2B petitions received and counted towards the H-2B cap. As of December 1, 2008, 12,371 petitions have been counted towards the 33,000 cap for the second half of FY 2009.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/H2B-Count-Second-Half-of-FY2009.aspWed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe USCIS has postponed the implementation of a new I-9 Regulation that would streamline the Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9) process and prohibit employers from accepting expired documents for I-9 purposes. The regulation was set to take effect on February 2, 2009 but will be delayed until April 3, 2009.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/New-I-9-Regulation-Postponed.aspWed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe USCIS, on January 08, 2009, announced that it has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated H2B cap for the second half of Fiscal Year 2009. USCIS will reject the H2B visa petitions for new workers seeking employment start dates prior to October 1, 2009 that arrive after Jan. 7, 2009. If deemed necessary, USCIS may apply a computer-generated random selection process to all the H2B visa petitions that are subject to the cap and received on Jan. 7, 2009 in order to select the number of H2B visa petitions needed to meet the cap.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/USCIS-Reaches-H2B-Cap.aspThu, 08 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe DHS, in accordance with its final rule ‘Changes to Requirements Affecting H-2B Nonimmigrants’ published in the Federal Register on December 19, 2008, has published the list of countries that are important for the operation of the H-2B visa program and are cooperative in repatriation of its citizens, subjects, nationals or residents who are subject to a final order of removal from the United States.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/DHS-H-2B-Eligible-Countries.aspFri, 06 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) remind employers who participate in the H-2A agricultural temporary worker program and the H-2B nonagricultural temporary worker program to use the new Form I-129, “Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker,” which contains the H Classification Supplement.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/H-2B-Petitioners-New-Form-I-129.aspThu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe H-2B visa program is vital to America’s small businesses and thus to America’s economic recovery. Even in this tough economic time, seasonal positions remain unfilled, leaving these businesses desperately in need of workers. Unlike the hiring of American workers, small business owners must go through a tough application process to hire foreign workers through the H-2B program. Without access to more temporary H-2B workers, many small businesses will be extremely short-staffed this year and could be forced to close. For small businesses, relief must come now so that America’s employers can get the seasonal temporary workers they need to help in America’s economic recovery.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/H2B-Visa-Reform-2009.aspTue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe USCIS, on December 18, 2008, announced that it has submitted to the Federal Register a Final Rule that will change the requirements affecting H-2B beneficiaries and their employers. The Final Rule will facilitate the process by which employers hire workers to participate in the H-2B visa program.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/Streamline-H-2B-Visa-Procedures.aspThu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe USCIS has released the set of Q & As immediately after their announcement about streamlining the H-2B visa procedure. The Final Rule on streamlining the H-2B visa procedures will facilitate the process by which employers hire workers to participate in the H-2B visa program.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/Streamline-H2B-Procedures.aspThu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published a final rule on Changes to H-2B visa regulations. This final H-2B rule amends Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations regarding temporary nonagricultural workers, and their U.S. employers, within the H-2B nonimmigrant classification. The final rule removes certain limitations on H-2B employers and adopts streamlining measures in order to facilitate the lawful employment of foreign temporary nonagricultural workers. This rule is effective January 18, 2009.http://www.ExpressH2B.com/News/DHS-Final-Rule-2008.aspFri, 19 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT